Thai man rapes step-granddaughter and infects her with HIV

Officers from the Investigation Division of the Metropolitan Police Bureau (IDMB) arrested a Thai man for raping his step-granddaughter from the age of seven and transmitting human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to her.

The victim, who is now 16 years old, filed a complaint against the rapist, 59 year old Nookarn, at Bang Khen Police Station on April 28. IDMB officers raided Nookarn’s house to arrest him but the suspect managed to escape in time.

According to the victim, Nookarn was her step-grandfather and lived with her in a house in Bangkok’s Saimai district. Nookarn took advantage of opportunities when her biological grandmother was away to sexually assault her.

Nookarn first abused the victim when she was seven years old and continued to do so until she was 16. When she was young, the victim did not realise she was being raped. She only knew that she felt hurt and frightened.

The victim revealed that she was afraid to seek justice because Nookarn threatened to lock her in a duck coop and sell her to a brothel. She added that Nookarn had never used a condom, resulting in her contracting HIV.

Officers searched for Nookarn and found him working as a bus driver in Bang Na district in Bangkok. Police kept him under close surveillance before successfully arresting him yesterday, May 28, in a factory car park in Ban Pho district of Chachoengsao province.

Nookarn admitted to having sex with the victim about six times but denied raping her. He accused the victim of provoking him. He also denied giving the victim HIV. He said he was confident he was not infected, although he had never been tested.

IDBM police reported that Nookarn had a criminal record for drugs and was imprisoned for about two years from June 11, 2014, to May 12, 2016.

In this sexual assault case, Nookarn was charged under Section 276 of the Criminal Law: sexually assaulting another person by threatening or using a violent act. The penalty is imprisonment from four to 20 years and a fine from 80,000 to 400,000 baht.

He also faces a penalty of imprisonment from five to 20 years and a fine from 100,000 to 400,000 baht for violating Section 377 of the Criminal Law: sexually assaulting minors aged under 15 years old, who were not a wife or husband, no matter whether the minors consent or not.